morning all
thanks for comments all.
amailpat..I wasn't on working lunch but a did do a quick slot on channel4 lunchtime news some time back

UK and European brokers' recommendations issued today, as collated by AFX News from a range of market sources.

NUMIS
Downgrades to Reduce from Hold BAE Systems

ARBUTHNOT
Upgrades to Buy from Hold Luminar

ALTIUM
Downgrades to Sell from Hold XP Power -- Initiates coverage as Buy BETonSPORTS, 200 pence target

DRESDNER KLEINWORT WASSERSTEIN
Downgrades to Hold from Buy Linde -- Upgrades to Add from Hold Serono

JP MORGAN
Advises switching from mmO2 to Vodafone -- Downgrades to Underweight Swisscom -- Overweight Erste Bank, lifts target to 45 eur

CSFB
Downgrades to Neutral from Outperform Dixons, 160 pence, advises switching into Kesa -- Outperform Solvay, ups estimates -- Neutral Heidelberger Cement, raises target to 42 eur from 37.5 -- Downgrades to Neutral from Outperform RAS

KBC PEEL HUNT
Downgrades to Hold from Buy TDG

CHEUVREUX
Upgrades to Outperform from Underperform Allianz -- Upgrades to Outperform from Underperform Autoliv -- Upgrades to Outperform from Underperform Bacou-Dalloz -- Downgrades to Underperform from Outperform DIS -- Downgrades to Underperform from Outperform Tiscali

MERRILL LYNCH
Upgrades to Buy Big Yellow

WESTLB
Downgrades to Neutral from Outperform rC, 66 eur target -- Downgrades to Neutral from Outperform Siemens, cuts target to 65 eur from 67, lowers estimates -- Outperform Cap Gemini, raises target to 27 eur from 24 -- Downgrades to Neutral from Outperform San Paolo IMI, 11.8 eur target -- Neutral Bulgari, raises target to 8.5 eur from 8 -- Neutral Tods, raises target to 32 eur from 30

BRIDGEWELL
Downgrades to Neutral from Overweight Persimmon -- Upgrades to Overweight from Neutral Barratt

ING
Downgrades to Sell from Hold KPN -- Downgrades to Sell from Hold Swisscom -- Downgrades to Hold from Buy Belgacom -- Downgrades to Sell from Hold Fortis -- Upgrades to Buy from Hold GUS -- Upgrades to Buy from Hold Tesco -- Upgrades to Buy from Hold Metro -- Downgrades to Hold from Buy GBL

SG SECURITIES
Downgrades to Hold from Buy Scor

DEUTSCHE BANK
Downgrades to Hold from Buy Acciona -- Buy Allianz, raises target to 106 eur from 100 -- Upgrades to Buy from Hold Opap

CITIGROUP SMITH BARNEY
Upgrades to Buy from Hold Besi

UBS
Downgrades to Neutral from Buy Misys

GOLDMAN SACHS
Reiterates In Line Aegon, raises estimates -- In Line Banche Popolari, cuts estimates -- In Line Hays, cuts estimates -- Underperform Indra, raises estimates -- In Line Telefonica, cuts estimates

LEHMAN BROTHERS
European Strategy: Remove Adecco from European Recommended Portfolio -- Reiterate Overweight BAE Systems, ups target to 305 pence from 285, raises estimates -- Overweight Hannover Re, cuts target to 31.5 eur from 33.5 -- Equal-weight Allianz, ups target to 97 eur from 95, raises estimates -- Equal-weight Euronext, cuts target to 28 eur from 29 -- Overweight Erste Bank, ups target to 38 eur from 36, raises estimates -- Underweight BSkyB, target 590 pence -- Underweight OMV, target 180 eur -- Overweight Deutsche Bank, target 20.5 eur, ups dividend estimates -- Overweight Bank of Ireland, target 13.4 eur, 'cheaper than AIB' -- Underweight Sainsbury, target 230 pence, preview -- Overweight Telefonica, target 16.5 eur -- Overweight Hilton Group, target 290 pence, preview -- Equal-weight Alstom, target 0.75 eur, preview -- Equal-weight BPMS, target 2.2 eur, cuts estimates -- Beverages: Iqact of weak US beer market in the US; Reiterate Underweight SABMiller; Underweight Heineken

MORGAN STANLEY
Downgrades to Equalweight Unicredito -- Equalweight BSyB, cuts estimates

nice read jules, and i like No 18 best (mutley snigger).

Greystone, i will make an effort and write my poochy tail up soon.

:-)

GD - You are a star! ;-)

London shares - midday features

FTSE 100 risers
mmO2 106-3/4 up 1-1/4
Due to post interims on Wednesday; DKW rates 'buy'
Hays 126-3/4 up 1-3/4
Recovers from Friday's losses
Cadbury Schweppes 465 up 4-1/2
Morgan Stanley reiterates 'overweight' after upbeat market share data
Vodafone 143-1/4 up 1-1/2
Interims due tomorrow; JP Morgan recommends switching into stock from mmO2
Antofagasta 1,105 up 8
Copper prices move higher
BSkyB 543-1/2 down 10-1/2
Profit taking after Friday's gains
3i Group 640 up 4-1/2
Recent equity strength
Sage 189-1/2 up 1-1/2
Nasdaq influences

FTSE 100 fallers
Emap 817 down 20
Chrysalis cautions on radio market, due to post interims tomorrow
BSkyB 543-1/2 down 10-3/4
Profit taking after Friday's post-results gains
Reuters 389 down 6-3/4
Reports of price cuts
BAE Systems 248-3/4 down 3-3/4
Concerns that Saudi Arabia will stop buying British; Numis downgrades
Dixons 165 down 3-1/2
CSFB downgrades to 'Neutral' from 'Outperform'
Next 1671 down 20
Cazenove downgrades to 'in-line' from 'outperform'

FTSE 250 risers
Thus Group 15-1/4 up 1
Uninspiring interims offset by merger hopes
Novar 162 up 6-1/2
Takeover speculation continues
HIT Entertainment 256-1/2 up 6-3/4
Weekend press talks of bid speculation
Carillion 234-1/2 up 5-1/2
Coqletes French civil engineering and building businesses

FTSE 250 fallers
Chrysalis 163-1/2 down 11-3/4
Full-year results; sees radio industry growth flat for 3 mths to Nov
GWR Group 245-1/2 down 8
Radio stocks knocked by Chrysalis caution
Capital Radio 422-1/2 down 12-1/2
Radio stocks knocked by Chrysalis caution
Manchester United 278 down 7-1/2
Bid uncertainties; Malcolm Glazer dropped by JP Morgan after AGM
Lastminute 114-1/2 down 2-3/4
Weak with Ebookers
Misys 283 down 6
Downgraded to 'neutral' from 'buy' at UBS
MITIE Group 152 down 3
Profit-taking after recent speculative gains
Luminar 491-3/4 down 7-3/4
Uninspiring H1 numbers, profit-taking
HMV Group 245-1/2 down 4-3/4
Downgraded 'hold' from 'buy' by Deutsche Bank last Friday
Woolworths 46-1/4 down 0-1/4
Cazenove downgrades general retailer sector to 'underweight'
Amlin 145 down 1-1/2
Trading update fails to inspire; KBC Peel Hunt keeps 'hold'
Jardine Lloyd Thompson 479 down 3-1/2
Loyd's insurers weak with Amlin

Other risers
Celltalk 29-1/2 up 9
H1 opg soars to 532,000 stg, upbeat on H2
Thirdforce 24 up 4-1/2
'Worth a punt' although 'strictly for the brave' - Sunday Telegraph
Planestation Group 54-1/2 up 7
Edmond Jackson comment in Sunday Telegraph
Griffin 6-1/4 up 3/4
FY improves significantly
QXL Ricardo 572-1/2 up 32-1/2
Bid approach news last week; ebay seen as potential predator
Formation Group 7.62 up 0.87
AIM Investor comment 'buy' in The Business
ITNET 256-1/2 up 21-1/2
Says in preliminary offer talks
Jarvis 14-1/4 up 1-1/4
Rally; PFI bidding operations disposal to Hochtief on Friday
Monstermob 161-1/2 up 13
Upbeat on H2, 2005 outlook as subscriber base outstrips targets

Other fallers
Renold 75 down 5-3/4
H1 pretax profits narrow, hit by currency movements, raw material
MyTravel 3.85 down 0.25
Co warns not robust enough for regulator CAA without restructuring
Desire Petroleum 56-3/4 down 0.37
Profit-taking after recent strong gains
TDG 228 down 13
Poor results; Cazenove downgrades
Melrose 127-1/2 down 7
Novar bid situation
PD Ports 90 down 4-3/4
Maiden interims show decline; Panmure 'sell'

Added MRL (again) sub-7.5p, on buying pushing L2 north, 50 VW MA close to being broken, Q3 results and/or assay results expected soon. If it breaks 8p, 10p could come quickly, given sustained speculative interest or actual news, and 10p would look good enough on the chart to bring in more than just bottom fishers. Watch Toronto for news / price moves as well (MRL there, too.)

MikeH - what you doing around here?

;-)

Nice one Jules, and lucky you going on Crocs course. I was booked on one but another trader said he would teach me so I cancelled. My biggest regret as he later reneged on his offer.

Hiya Mike nice to see you over here......thanks for your help.

Big A....next week, watta you like, no time...thought your'd have had plenty stuck out there with no work to do :>) ouch!